I am a surgeon at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center specializing in breast cancer surgery. There have been numerous studies over the last fifteen years showing no difference in survival between women who opt for mastectomies versus women who opt to conserve their breast in the surgical therapy for breast cancer.

Mastectomy rates across the United States are increasing due to the inclusion of breast MRI in the newly diagnosed breast cancer population. MRI and MRI guided biopsies are finding additional cancers in the same breast or the opposite breast in this population.

At Alta Bates Summit Medical Center we have some of the best mammographers in the country with expertise in performing breast MRIs biopsies and MRI guided localization for women who opt to conserve their breasts. Surgeons have extensive skills performing these surgeries along with sentinel node biopsies and I am proud to be part of this team.